Britain and Europe

Britain´s most important relationship today is with the European Union (EU). At first, when the Common Market (the original name for the EU) was set up in 1957, Britain was not keen to join. By 1963, Britain realised that it had to become a member nation, but its application was not accepted. It was only in 1973 that Britain was allowed to join.

Now over half of Britain´s trade is with the European Union. Even so, not all British people are sure that Europe is a good thing for Britain. About half of British people believe that Britain needs Europe because it offers British companies a market of over 350 million people.

British membership of the EU has always been controversial. There was much political debate about whether Britain should join the single European currency. The Government decided that it would not join at first, but would wait and join later.

To learn more about other EU countries young people from the UK go on exchange visits. The European Union funds The Youth Exchange Centre. The young people must organise the trip and raise some of the money for the exchange themselves. Under the Erasmus programme, university students go and study in other EU countries. The EU gives them a small grant to help with their expenses.

Michael Vaughan-Rees, Geraldine Sweeney, Picot Cassidy: In Britain; Cornelsen Verlag, 2000, page 19